State funding for Texas public schools has become a "four letter word" amongst school officials in recent history. There are 3 issues that I feel are critical in the ongoing problems with the funding of public schools in Texas. The first issue is the "revenue recapture" idea - Robin Hood Plan. The concept behind the idea is noble, but the plan has crippled property wealthy districts and still under-funded property poor districts. A district is basically penalized for being considered wealthy. Chapter 41 districts should not be responsible for helping fund public education. That responsibility should fall on the state of Texas. The second issue was the state not addressing public education in the 2009 session, and instead putting a "bandaid" on the system once again by using the ARRA funds to reduce the state deficit and help fund education. Now, we are severely underfunded for at least the next 2-4 years if not longer. The 3rd issue is state funding being tied to ADA - "Average Daily Attendance." Attendance is obviously important, but a school district losing funds because parents do not make their kids come to school is not the school districts problem. That is a parenting issue that should be addressed in court, and it should not be tied to funding. I know that there are adjustments to help offset ADA decline, but school districts lose thousands of dollars a year with 97% ADA. The state funds charter schools on enrollment numbers not ADA. I'm not sure how it is good to fund charter schools this way, but it is not good for public schools. The entire process has become very frustrating to educators as well as very scary for parents sending their children to public schools.
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